


Back Into Focus

by blueemissary



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Incredible Hulk (2008), The Incredible Hulk - All Media Types, Thor (Movies), Thor - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bruce Banner Needs a Hug, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, POV Bruce Banner, POV Thor (Marvel), Thor (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Thor: Ragnarok (2017), ThunderScience - Freeform, alcohol mentioned, but only briefly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-21
Updated: 2018-04-21
Packaged: 2019-04-25 20:58:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14386983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blueemissary/pseuds/blueemissary
Summary: After their fight in the arena, Thor goes to sleep next Hulk. In the morning, he wakes up next to Bruce.- - -And now his vision focuses enough to see the concerned expression of the person leaning over him.“...Thor?”Thor’s face softens and those familiar lips turn up into a relieved smile."How are you feeling?"Bruce doesn’t have it in him to put on any pretences right now. “Sore,” he croaks.





	Back Into Focus

**Author's Note:**

> An alternate scene for how Bruce wakes up in Sakaar (going off the idea that seeing Thor again is enough to relax the Hulk back into Bruce while they're in Hulk's apartment)

Light filters in through the window, slowly drawing Thor from the grip of sleep. He keeps his eyes screwed shut, head groggy and still aching from the battle with Hulk, and rolls over to sink back into the oversized mattress. As he does so, his nose grazes something soft, tickling it enough to make him jerk back his head a little. He cracks open one eye to see what’s causing it.

It’s hair. Dark and curly, tinged with more grey - and shorter - than he remembers but, oh, so very familiar...

“Bruce.”

...

A deep, distant rumbling in his ear causes Bruce to stir. His mind feels sluggish with the aftereffects of a transformation. It’s slow going to piece together his current situation.

Touch returns to him before any other sense. The first thing he notices is that the surface he’s on is soft. A bed. And a nice one at that; he barely feels any pain from the sheets scratching his skin when he turns onto his back. The same can’t be said for his muscles; judging by the way they burn it’s been at least a couple of days since he became the Hulk.

Why did he do that again? He wracks his brain but it still seems to be working through the flashes of Hulk’s memories (- _a sea of green surrounds him, watching him, cheering his name -)_ and, as his sense of smell returns, a faint whiff of alcohol begins taking to him down a path he would rather not go right now (so he stops trying). It’s strange; he would have hoped Tony would be more considerate than to bring booze to his room. Well...at least he assumes he’s in one of Tony’s rooms. Where else on earth would allow him in such a luxurious bed?

The rumbling sound begins again. Most likely someone is talking to him, right next to his head if the puff of hot air is anything to go by. He wonders who it is.

Opening his eyes does almost nothing for him. Sight is always a little slow coming back so all he can make out is a large blur. Blinking several times brings some of the closer features into focus but it's nothing too definitive for his addled brain. A nose... blue eyes... familiar lips. The lips are forming words and he tries hard to read them but ends up just staring, groggily, entranced by the pattern they form as the word is repeated.

The rumbling becomes more distinct now.

“...uce…”

That’ll be his hearing clearing up.

“...you...me...ruce...?”

And now his vision focuses enough to see the concerned expression of the person leaning over him.

“Bruce.”

“...Thor?”

Thor’s face softens and those familiar lips turn up into a relieved smile. It’s now that Bruce notices the hand that has been running through his hair. He leans into it, sighing deeply through his nose.

“How are you feeling?”

Bruce doesn’t have it in him to put on any pretences right now. “Sore,” he croaks. Ouch. His throat really does feel rough. The Hulk must have been doing a lot of shouting during the battle.

The battle.

Thor is in the middle of some joke about it not being the first time they've woken up sore when Bruce cuts him off. “Sokovia…” He tries to sit up but his arms feel weak and he barely pushes himself onto his elbows before has to stop, focusing his energy on talking instead. “Is everyone okay? Did we win?”

The smile drops from Thor's face. “You don’t -- Is that the last thing you remember?” he asks, moving his hand to Bruce’s shoulder blade, lightly supporting his back as he tries to sit up again. The gentle press of skin on skin contact feels good and Bruce reaches to grip the shoulder of the arm it’s attached to for further support. Thor accommodates him easily, drawing him closer.

Bruce nods in answer to Thor’s question.

“Okay.” Oddly, Thor’s voice seems a little strained. Dread creeps into Bruce’s mind. Did someone not make it through?

Fortunately, Thor seems to read his thoughts and is quick to correct them. “Don’t worry, everyone is… fine.” There’s more to it. Bruce can tell. But he doesn’t interrupt, instead letting Thor take a moment to swallow a lump in his throat and then continue. “But...Bruce, that was two years ago.”

There’s a pause.

“Two… I’ve been Hulk for two years?” He feels...detached from the revelation. Like he’s hearing it from a distance so it hasn’t quite got to him get.

When it does finally sink in his exhaustion comes back, stronger than ever. And when he slumps sideways Thor catches him, holding him close and resting his chin on his hair.

“I thought. You were dead.” Thor admits, voice thick with emotion. “I couldn’t find you. I looked but - I couldn’t - ”

“It’s okay,” Bruce reassures as Thor’s voice begins to falter. He turns his body around completely, so that he’s facing Thor, arms wrapping around his torso and forehead pressed on his shoulder. “It’s okay,” he repeats, quietly. As to whether he’s trying to reassure Thor or himself...it doesn’t matter.

For now he just wants to hold onto Thor and save the catching up for later.

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a fluff prompt for 'waking up in the same bed' and ending not at all where I intended it to go. But, y'know *insert shrug emoji*
> 
> I'm also on [ tumblr](https://asgardianbruce.tumblr.com/).


End file.
